Prajadhipok - Last Absolute Monarch

Last Absolute Monarch

Relatively unprepared for his new responsibilities, Prajadhipok was nevertheless intelligent, diplomatic in his dealings with others, modest and eager to learn. However, he had inherited serious problems from his predecessor. The most urgent of these problems was the economy. The budget was heavily in deficit, and the royal financial accounts were a nightmare. The entire world was in the throes of the Great Depression.

Within half a year only three of Vajiravhud's twelve ministers were still serving the new King, the rest having been replaced by members of the royal family. While the family appointments brought back men of talent and experience, they also signalled a return to royal oligarchy. The King clearly wished to demonstrate a clear break with the discredited sixth reign, and his choice of men to fill the top positions appeared to be guided largely by a wish to restore a Chulalongkorn-type government.

In an institutional innovation intended to restore confidence in the monarchy and government, Prajadhipok, in what was virtually his first act as King, announced the creation of the Supreme Council of the State of Siam. This privy council was made up of a number of experienced and extremely competent members of the royal family, including the former long-serving Minister of the Interior (and King Chulalongkorn's right hand man), Prince Damrong Rajanubhab. Gradually these princes arrogated power to themselves, monopolising all the main ministerial positions and appointing sons and brothers to both administrative and military posts. Many of them felt it was their duty to make amends for the mistakes of the previous reign, but their acts were not generally appreciated, for the government failed to communicate to the public the purpose of the policies they were pursuing to rectify Vajiravhud's financial extravagances.

Unlike his predecessor, the king diligently read virtually all state papers that came his way, from ministerial submissions to petitions by citizens. The king was painstaking and conscientious; he would elicit comments and suggestions from a range of experts and study them assiduously, noting the good points in each submission, but when various options were available he would seldom be able to select one and abandon others. He would often rely upon the Supreme Council to persuade him in a particular direction.

In 1932, with the country deep in depression, the Supreme Council opted to introduce cuts in official spending, civil service pay rolls and the military budget. The King foresaw that these policies might create discontent, especially in the army, and he therefore convened a special meeting of officials to explain why the cuts were necessary. In his addressed he stated the following:

I myself know nothing at all about finances, and all I can do is listen to the opinions of others and choose the best... If I have made a mistake, I really deserve to be excused by the people of Siam.

No previous monarch had ever spoken so honestly. Unfortunately, many interpreted his words not as a frank appeal for understanding and cooperation, but as a sign of his weakness and proof that the system of rule of fallible autocrats should be abolished.

King Prajadhipok turned his attention to the question of future politics in Siam. Inspired by the British example, the King wanted to allow the common people to have a say in the country's affairs by the creation of a parliament. A proposed constitution was ordered to be drafted, but the King's wishes were rejected by his advisers. Foremost among them were Prince Damrong and Francis B. Sayre, Siam's adviser in foreign affairs, who felt that the population was politically immature and not yet ready for democracy - a conclusion also reached, ironically, by the promoters of the People's Party.

However, spurred on by agitation for radical constitutional change, the King in 1926 began moves to develop the concept of prachaphiban, or 'municipality', which had emerged late in the fifth reign as a law regarding sanitation. Information was obtained regarding local self-government in surrounding countries, and proposals to allow certain municipalities to raise local taxes and manage their own budgets were drawn up. The fact that the public was not sufficiently educated to make the scheme work militated against the success of this administrative venture. Nevertheless, the idea of teaching the Siamese concept of democracy through a measure of decentralisation of power in municipalities had become, in Prajadhipok's mind, fundamental to future policy making. Before practical steps could be taken, however, the absolute monarchy was suddenly brought to an end.